Then we returned to town for some lunch before heading on down through really pretty country to the town of Oberon, the highest town in the Blue Mountains region. (There is a Titania Motel in town, just off Shakespeare Close, which is near On-Avon Avenue for any Midsummer Nights Dream fans).
We expected a sweet 'alpine' town but the first sight we saw was a giant plant - the CHH particle board and MDF plant. Fortunately the trees in the caravan park screened it from our sight, but not the sound which continued day and night. Both of us had a sleepless night.
Next morning we were off to Jenolan Caves, on the route advised in Bathurst. It was a good road and it was only the last 10 kms that were very twisting and winding (after the notice advising not to proceed if towing a caravan or trailer). But we were both rather awestruck when we had to drive through the 'Giant Arch' at the entry to the caves, but as there was only one way in and out and a coach had just left we knew we'd be okay.
We booked onto 11.30 Lucas Cave tour. As we started the first half of the tour I was wondering what the fuss was about - those caves in South Australia were better, but then the size of the Jenolan Caves became apparent, they are huge.
The caves have been a tourist attraction for many many years and have suffered from the vandalism of those early tourists in the 1890s and 1900s, they 'souvenired' anything they could reach, and used the smoke from their candles to write their initials!
There was one small cavern that was inaccessible and that is really beautiful.
As we exited the cave into the sunlight we came across this lizard basking.
We had lunch in the van before driving back through the arch and the road back - apologies for the shaky photo, but I wasn't about to ask Michael to try and turn around and drive through again for a better photo!!
We drove up through the mountains, across ridges into Lithgow. I admit that we got a little lost looking for the caravan park but it did give us a look around the town, what we saw left us unimpressed - a typical old coal town, and the caravan park, when we found it, was not cheap despite it's location out of town, so we decided to head East straight to Katoomba.
The caravan park there was nice and modern and opposite the Katoomba Falls, right on the tourist trolley sightseeing route. It was a little pricey but we expect that as we get closer to Sydney. We checked in with the good intention of doing some sightseeing after a little break - that didn't happen we settled in and became too relaxed - "will start early tomorrow".
Tomorrow came and the bed was just too comfortable, the early start didn't eventuate.
Just after 10 we got the trolley bus around town. We got an all day ticket which included 3 rides at 'scenicworld' - on:- the Skyway, the Railway and the Cableway.
We took the trolley around Katoomba, it's a really nice town. We got off in the main street checked out a few shops, then had lunch before getting the trolley back out to a Skyway station. There were only 2 other people on the trip - which unfortunately only lasted 6 minutes.
The opening glass floor was really neat.
Unfortunately the area around the station had been burnt out in a bush fire last October (deliberately lit, luckily they have caught the arsonist). The sad thing is that since the fire the area has had a lot of rain, resulting in a lot of run off - including seeds and soil, so the area has no regrowth, and there have even been some rock slides, changing the landscape forever.
Then we had a coffee and enjoyed the grand views
before taking the railway - the steepest railway in the world, a 52degree descent to the forest floor.
Where we had a choice of a 10, 30 or 50 minute walk around. (We took the 10 minute option!)
Then we took the cableway back up to the main station.
Then we left scenicworld and took the trolley back into the main street (to a bookshop we'd spotted earlier - 5 books for $20! including a Janet Evanovich, now only 2 needed to complete the set!)
We got another trolley back to the caravan park, which was now almost full because there's a blues music festival in Katoomba this weekend. Our new neighbours are an English couple in a VW Kombi (they'd paid extra for a VW rather than a 'Wicked' Toyota.)
We sat out for Happy Hour under overcast skies planning the next day's trip. The 'day pass' ticket on the trolley is actually valid for 2 days, so we intend to make the most of it before leaving Katoomba and edging closer to Sydney.
As planned, we exited the caravan park, parked just next door in the Falls Reserve carpark and got the trolley out to Echo Point and the Three Sisters viewing platform. As it was only just 10 am the area was nice and quiet and the light on the mountains was different to the previous afternoon.
Then one more visit to the main street, checking out any shops we'd missed before returning to collect the van and head East. It was a slow trip as there are road works nearly all the way - upgrading the highway to dual carriageway all the way from Sydney to Katoomba. Just before Penrith we turned north up to Richmond and the 'Wanderest' park, in the park area of the community/Tradies club.
Officially it's for members' use, so I joined up for $4.00 per annum. We got a 'welcoming pack' which included free drink vouchers, and booked in for the maximum 3 nights.. We took an unpowered site - they are free of charge, powered sites are $10 a night (there weren't any available).
The weather was hot and quite unbearably humid so we were pleased when it did start to rain, the rain continued all night, ranging from thunder to light drizzle. It felt good, especially as it wasn't torrential and wasn't a flood threat.
Next day was overcast and drizzly but nice enough for us to sit out under the awning, the little space between van and low wall keeping us quite dry.
Richmond RAAF base was just down the road and every so often we had a huge C17 fly directly overhead (the C17s were bought after the govt bought Abrams tanks and then discovered they didn't have planes big enough to transport them.)
3 days was the maximum stay but we decided to move on into Sydney on Sunday afternoon rather than Monday morning, so around 3pm we set off for Sydney. We had been told that there was a cheap camping option at the St Ives Showgrounds - when we got there we were faced with a sign - "No camping allowed until further notice".
The next move was simple - we drove on into North Narrabeen to stay at the caravan park there, (this is the suburb that Michael's aunt used to live in, where we will be starting our hunt for cousins).
We had thought of staying here but were aghast at the price listed on line of $50 a night.
We checked in and got a discount for CMCA (motorhome club) members price of $35 a night, we booked in for 4 nights.
The park is really big but nowhere near full, we can hear the Pacific Ocean, walk to the beach and shops (maybe even walk to Aunt Peggy's old house) and outside the park we can get the bus to Sydney or to Manly to get the Ferry to Circular Quay. But first things first - tomorrow we go hunting cousins!
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